FG Distributes Cash to Beneficiaries of Poverty Alleviation Programme in Lagos

Segun James

The federal government has commenced the fifth and sixth bimonthly cash payment exercise to support the poor and vulnerable in Lagos State.

The aim of the programme is to improve consumption, reduce poverty and prevent vulnerable households from falling further down the poverty line.

The state focal person on National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) and Commissioner, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke, who flagged off the payment in Apapa Local Government Area, said the support would help to build the beneficiaries’ resilience to withstand shocks. She explained that the major benefit of the programme is capacity building, which are built at all tiers to enhance empowerment of beneficiaries’ household to be self-reliant.

Arobieke further stated that training was carried out at three tiers-officers at the state level and local government level are trained, who in turn cascade the training to the beneficiaries in their communities. “Beneficiaries are trained on Life Skill (LS) and Savings Group Mobilisation and Micro Business Development (SGMB) which is targeted at enabling the beneficiaries to save form cooperative groups; make financial plans and engage in viable business activities within their communities in order to strengthen their livelihood activities..” “by contributing their shares to the state and national economy,” she said.

The commissioner added that National Cash Transfer Programme is one of the components of NSIP domiciled under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, which aims at responding to deficiencies in capacity and lack of investment in human capital of poor and vulnerable households.

Arobieke explained that the NCTP is supported by the World Bank, adding that the programmes focus on the poor and vulnerable households in Nigeria as identified through a combination of geographic and community-based targeting mechanisms.

Lagos is one of the 34 states in Nigeria benefitting from the cash transfer programme.